Storm window construction



Nov. 21, 1961 Filed March 2 1960 P. F. ALBEE, JR

STORM WINDOW CONSTRUCTION 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR. PERCY FREDERICKALBEE, JR.

ATTORNEYS Nov. 21, 1961 P. F. ALBEE, JR 3,009,515

STORM WINDOW CONSTRUCTION Filed March 24, 1960 2 Sheets-Sheet 2INVENTOR.

PERCY FREDERICK ALBEE, JR.

ATTORNEYS Unite States 3,009,515 STORM WINDOW CONSTRUCTION PercyFrederick Albee, Jr., Harrington, R.I., assignor to Q-Panel Corporation,a corporation of Rhode Island Filed Mar. 24, 1960, Ser. No. 17,297 2Claims. (Cl. 160369) This invention relates to a storm windowconstruction and more particularly to the method of using plastic sheetmaterial as the window material in conjunction with lightweight metalframe together with means for successfully anchoring the frame to anexisting window casing. It has been previously proposed to utilize sheetplastic material as a substitute for glass in connection with stormwindow construction. Such storm window has the desirable properties ofbeing lightweight and inexpensive in construction. However, certainproblems arise with the use of a plastic material, for it hasundesirable thermo properties in that when it is subjected to coldtemperatures, it tends to shrink and conversely expand under warmtemperatures. To compensate for these properties, it has been necessaryto use a rigid strong frame and insert the plastic into such a frame ina stretched condition at 70 F. This will in general maintain a stretchedcondition of the plastic. It is apparent, however, that when such meansare utilized, some of the effective advantages of manufacturing a stormwindow with plastic sheet material are lost. Not only does the weight ofthe entire unit increase with the large n'gid frame, but also the priceof the unit increases to a point where there is no apparent advantage ofa plastic frame over a glass glazed frame storm window unit.

It is therefore an object of the present invention to make a stormwindow frame unit of such a construction as will lend itself toovercoming some of the disadvantages noted above.

A further object of the invention is to provide a lightweight stormwindow frame unit which when installed can conform to the contours ofthe Window frame.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a storm windowframe unit with a novel fastening device which will maintain the plasticsheet material in a stretched condition and will further accommodate thethermo-size variations that take place.

With these and other objects in view, the invention consists of certainnovel features of construction as will be more fully described andparticularly pointed out in the appended claims.

In the drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of a storm window unit of the inventioninstalled on the outside of an existing double hung window;

FIGURE 2 is an enlarged plan View of a portion of the storm window frameshowing the anchoring means therefor;

FIGURE 3 is a sectional view taken on lines 33 of FIGURE 2;

FIGURE 4 is a perspective view showing the application of a tool to formsuitable holes in the frame for attachment of the fastening means;

FIGURE 5 is a detached perspective view of an operation in connectionwith forming the attachment holes in the frame;

FIGURE 6 is a partial plan view of a frame with parts broken awayshowing the method of attaching a fastening means thereto;

FIGURE 7 is a perspective view of a modified cross section of a stormwindow frame with fastening means; and

FIGURE 8 is a perspective view of another fastener for use with theframe of FIGURE 7.

In proceeding with the invention, there is preferably extruded ametallic frame which can be further joined together at the cornersthereof in any suitable fashion so as to form a rectangular unit. Suchan extruded frame is particularly characterized by having a channelformed in at least one fashion thereof into which channel there may beanchored plastic sheet material in a suitable fashion so as to form acomplete unit. Some form of anchoring means are associated with theframe, which anchoring means take the form of a generally U-shape springmember or wire bale that is integrally fastened therein. A keeper isprovided to work in association with the wire bale which keeper isfastened to the existing window structure in a suitable manner.

Referring now to the drawings 10 generally designates a storm windowmade in accordance with the invention which is attached to the outsideframe 11 of an existing window casing that has the usual sill 12. Thestorm window 10 is made of generally rectangular form to conform to theshape of the window to be covered and of slightly larger size than thewindow opening so as to overlap the same. It is composed of two sets ofsides 14, 14 and 15, 15 which in the example shown meet generally atright angles one to the other. These sides may be formed of an extrudedmetallic material that can take the form of an open box with a channelsuch as 16 therein or any other suitable shape which provides thenecessary channel 16 for the anchoring of plastic sheet material throughthe use of a spline such as 17 or any other device. The sides need notbe of a large cross-section or thick material for reasons which willpresently appear. Spaced at suitable intervals around the periphery ofthe frame are a plurality of anchoring means 20. These anchoring meansare shown in more detail in FIGURES 2 and 3 and will be seen to consistof a U- shaped wire bale 21 having inturned ends 22, 22' and ananchoring bar 23. The inturned ends 22, 22' are provided to anchor thebale to the side sections of the frame and are adapted to be passedthrough apertures out in this frame as will more fully appear.Associated with the wire bale 21 is a keeper device generally designated25 which in the present embodiment is shown as a U- shape piece ofmaterial having upstanding arms 26, 27 and a base section 28 throughwhich a screw 29 or other fastening means may be passed. The outer face30 of the arm 27 is provided with two notches 31 and 32 which will serveto secure the bar portion 23 in adjusted position.

It is essential to the proper operation of the anchoring device that notonly should a force be exerted perpendicular to the planal extent of theplastic sheet material stretched thereacross, but also that a forceshould be exerted toward the existing window casing so as to firmlyanchor and seal the storm window unit thereagainst. To this end, it willbe noted that the wire bale 21 has been anchored to the frame in aposition remote from the surface engaging portion thereof. Tosuccessfuly accomplish this result, a tool such as shown in FIGURE 4 ispreferably employed which tool consists of a pair of pivoting jaws 49and 41 operated by a handle 42. The jaw 40 is somewhat L-shaped in formand is adapted to engage the face engaging surface of the frame and theinner edge thereof while the other jaw 41 is provided with a pair ofspaced piercing pins 43. These pins are located with respect to the bodyof jaw 41 so that when the jaw 40 is aligned as described the pins willnormally strike the outer edge of the frame near the upper cornerthereof. The pins 43 are also spaced a distance equal to the spacing ofthe legs of the wire bale 21 that is being used and it will be readilyunderstood that when pressure is applied to the handle 42 that holeswill be pierced in the frame. After the piercing has taken place, thejaws may be opened and the tool should be withdrawn from the frame in arocking motion so that the jaw 41 rocks away from the frame as shown bythe arrow 44 in FIG- URE 5 while the pins 43 remain partially engaged inthe pierced hole. This will therefore tend to raise the stock on theface of the frame as at and slightly depress the stock on the oppositeside of the hole formed by the piercing operation as at 46. Byperforming this operation in this fashion, the insertion of the balemembers 21 is greatly facilitated.

Alternately, notches may cut into the frame at the edge which presentsitself outward and upward relative to the frame when installed. Whennotches are cut by a hack saw or the like a similar hole to that formedby the punching operation is achieved.

Referring now to FIGURE 6, a bale member 21 may be taken and oneinturned end 22 thereof as shown to the left of FIGURE 6 may be firstinserted in one of the holes formed. The member will now tend to remainin the hole while the entire bale member is sprung somewhat in theposition shown in broken lines and the other end 22 will now be in anangular position to pass underneath the raised portion 45. The pressurecan then be released from the wire bale and the operation has then beencompleted. With the pressure released, the inturned ends 22 tend toalign themselves parallel to the edge of the frame. Thus, it will beseen that by providing the raised portion 45 through the pivotingdisengaging operation of the piercing pliers, a rather quick assemblymay be had. Similarly the saw cut affords easy assembly due to the widthof the cut slot relative to the wire bale diameter.

Also it should be pointed out here that the bale member 21 is insertedinto the frame member at an upper portion of the frame as it lies on thewindow. This therefore gives an angularity to the bale member when it isclamped in the position such as shown in FIGURE 3, and achieves theresult of pulling the frame outwardly as well as against the windowcasing. Under certain circumstances, that is particularly where theframe member must abut a surface that is generally perpendicular to theplanal extent thereof, the ends of the bale member must be inserted at alocation which is on the face of the frame member and adjacent thespline channel 16. Such an alternate location is shown in the lower partof FIG- URE l where the side 15" of frame It) is shown as abutting asill. The angularity of the bale member is still achieved in thisinstallation but of course not as great as by using the installationmethod of FIGURE 3; nevertheless, it is sufficient to draw the frameportions outwardly to some degree and force the frame against the windowcasing for a seal.

In FIGURE 7 there is shown a modified form of frame channel which can beutilized in lieu of the extruded shape shown in the previous figures. Tothis end, there is provided a spline channel that is located to one sideof a generally box-like formation 51 that is provided with a curved lipsection 52. This curved lip section is of a shape whereby two spacedhacksaw cuts therethro-ugh can be provided along the arcuate portionthereof such as at 53 and 54. These cuts can be made deep enough so thatan aperture is made through the curved lip section walls, and as aresult, a bale member 21 of identical construction to that previouslydescribed may be inserted in a similar fashion to the manner in which itis inserted in connection with the description of FIGURE 6. It will beapparent that by utilizing this modification a special tool is notrequired and it accordingly has some advantages from this standpoint.Otherwise the arrangement is identical to that previously described andoperates in conjunction with a keeper device such as 25. FIGURE 8 showsan alternate bale member 21 which may readily be used with the channelof FIG. 7. In this form the bale has arcuate inturned ends 22A whichhook over the lip section 52 and thus eliminate the necessity forcutting the frame.

What is basically accomplished in the disclosure of this invention isthe tensioning of the metallic frame of a plastic storm window. Thetensioning member is formed in a fashion whereby it is normallyinstalled with a slight tension and exerts suificient force on theplastic sheet material so that as the air temperature increases, theplastic will be stretched to form a flat surface. Similarly, astemperature decreases, sufiicient stretchability is allowed to the frameso that undue tension is not placed on the plastic as it effectivelyreduces itself in size. By way of example to illustrate the forcesinvolved with polyvinyl chloride sheet, a 36-inch stretch of materialwill contract 1l /z inches in a temperature range of 70- 20 F. Also thearrangement herein disclosed obviates the usual solution to the problemof increasing the cross section of the frame for the plastic window sothat more rigidity can be had to resist the forces of the plastictending to contract. In practice after a window has been installed inaccordance with the teachings of this invention, a distinct bend canusually be seen in the frame which is being exerted by the springtension of the spring bale 21. Also since a light cross section frame isused it conforms to the irregularities of the window casing and does notrequire additional caulking to effect a seal. For best in stallationpractice it has been found desirable to install the fastenersapproximately thirty inches apart which by experience has shown willhold a frame such as the extruded shape disclosed in FIGURE 3, andperform the desired results insofar as the plastic window sheet materialis concerned.

Accordingly, by virtue of providing a novel clip member which can beinstalled on a window frame so as to extend therefrom at approximately a30 angle, full utilization of a sheet plastic storm. window can be hadwhich will automatically take care of temperature variations as well ashigh velocity winds and afford a tight seal against a window casing.

I claim:

1. In combination with a window having a casing presenting a surface ina single plane, a storm window unit mounted on said casing andcomprising a frame having sides slightly elastically bendable in a planeparallel to the plane of said surface, a sheet of elastic materialstretched across said frame and secured thereto, a plurality of springmeans on said sides of said frame intermediate its ends, each fastenedat one end to and extending away from its side of said frame at an acuteangle to the said planes and toward said casing, the spring means beingfastened at their other ends to said casing whereby the spring meansthrough slight relative bending of the said sides of the frame maintainthe elastic material in a taut condition and also pull the frame againstthe said surface of the casing.

2. A construction as in claim 1 wherein said spring means comprise aU-shaped bale, the legs of the bale being attached to the frame at alocation distant from the casing surface, a keeper fastened to thecasing surface and having an upstanding portion provided with at leastone notch more closely adjacent the caisng surface than the location ofsaid bale on said frame, the bight of the U engaging the said notch.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS759,009 Owens May 3, 1904 1,120,333 Pinkharn Dec. 8, 1914 2,596,438Rollings May 13, 1952 ,596,906 Lucas May 13, 1952 27 Crumley et al Sept.29, 1959 n w -pq

